Today's News

The Los Alamos National Laboratory wants to remove the interim tag from two sites where it houses open detonation units. And in its permit modification request to the New Mexico Environment Department, the lab also wants to close two of its sites.

At Fuller Lodge Tuesday night, lab experts conducted a public meeting, which is a requirement of the permit modification request.

The public can submit comments to NMED until Sept. 19. After that, NMED will review the permit application and respond to public comments before issuing a final decision.

Much of Central Avenue, Diamond Drive and north and south San Ildefonso Road have bike lanes. With the completion of Diamond Drive’s Phase IV, the entire length of this arterial will include bike lanes.

“Most of our ‘spinal’ arterial connecting our homes to our schools, workplaces and other public places on Diamond Drive from 39th Street to south of North Road have opened with great bike lanes as well as bus pull offs and better sidewalks – so it’s timely to remind people of some general laws and guidelines that apply to bike lane use,” said Khal Spencer, a League of American Cyclists instructor.

First, before wheeling onto the road, Spencer says to make sure bikes are safe to ride.

Addressing a drop in visitation since the Las Conchas fire was top priority for the Los Alamos County Lodgers’ Tax Advisory Board (LTAB) Tuesday.

The good news is that tourism has not fallen as much as initially feared. “There are fewer people than typical, but the numbers are still fairly strong,” said Kevin Holsapple, executive director of Los Alamos Commerce & Development Corporation (LACDC), “Business is actually up in the restaurants, from what I’m hearing.”

This summer has been filled with acrimony about the federal budget, with red versus blue politicians squaring off to hurl criticisms at each other.
For a lot of us, turning on the news has felt like an exercise in masochism.
Imagine my pleasure, then, at going to a recent meeting where Americans from quite different walks of life were gathered to learn together about something we all need – a nutritious food supply.
On a recent and beautiful summer morn’ without even a breath of wind, a diverse group of citizens gathered on land belonging to Washington State University.

The current Public Regulation Commission difficulties involving Jerome Block, Jr. aren’t the first time that five-member body has been in turmoil.
In its dozen years of existence, it has been in almost constant disorder. The PRC was created in 1998 to replace a three-member state Corporation Commission that was always in havoc.
The solution created by the New Mexico Legislature and passed by voters was to replace the Corporation Commission and the appointed Public Utilities Commission with one elected body that would be reined in by various popular “good government” features such as public financing and a ban on campaign donations or other favors from utilities they regulate.

The faint hopes for the Albuquerque Isotopes of making the 2011 Pacific Coast League playoffs are fading fast.
Barring a near-miracle, the Isotopes will likely be staying home for the postseason following a loss Wednesday night at Sacramento. That loss, combined with a win by American Southern division-leading Round Rock, put the Isotopes 11 games back with less than 20 games remaining on the season.
Albuquerque couldn’t hold on in extra innings Wednesday. After scoring a run in the top of the 13th to go up 3-2, Sacramento’s River Cats rallied for a pair of runs in the bottom of the 13th to win 4-3.

Los Alamos School of Gymnastics is holding an open house Monday at its gym, 555 North Mesa Road.
LASG is celebrating Loui Janecky’s 30th anniversary as director of the program. All members of the community, as well as past and present gymnasts and families, are welcomed to attend.

Pajarito Mountain will host a motorcycle race Saturday and Sunday.
The event, which is being sponsored by Wannabe Racing of Durango, Colo., will be run on a 7-mile loop on the ski hill. Races will be conducted in several different categories.
In the past, Wannabe Racing has held races at ski areas in New Mexico, including at Angel Fire, but race organizer Brett Craig became interested in racing at Pajarito after he heard about the damage done to the area by the Las Conchas Fire.
“We had an opportunity to see if they’d like to have us come up,” Craig said. “We can bring money in for the ski hill for what happened.”

Los Alamos’ Derby Dames, also known as the M’Atom Bombs, are starting up a women’s competitive roller derby team.
he team holds practices approximately three times per week at Aspen School. The team is actively recruiting any women age 18-plus.